Snap-hook.



No. 762,097. PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904 S. SMITH.

SNAP HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. 1903. RENEWED APR. 18, 1904.

.no MODEL.

W/TNESSES; 11v VENTOR W IamueZfinZ'i/z a ATTORNE ms NcRmS prrzns w.mow-Una. WASHINGTON, a b.

Patented June 7, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC SAMUEL SMITH, OF W'EEDE, MONTANA.

SNAP-HOOK- SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,097,dated June '7, 1904. Application filed June 17, 1903. Renewed April lB,190% Serial No. 203,805. (No model) T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Weede, in the county of Fergus and State of Montana,

5 have invented anew and Improved Snap-Hook,

of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

c This invention relates to snap-hooks; and it consists in certain partsand details and com- IO binations thereof hereinafter particularlydescribed and claimed. 7

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a snap-hookwhich is simple in construction and organization as Well as easy tooperate and not liable to get out of order or become clogged up in use,besides being strong and durable and composed of few parts.

7 A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kindwhich is effective and reliable in use and one also which iscomparatively inexpensive to manufacture and possesses the capacity forlong and repeated service. The above and additional objects are attained by means substantially such as are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which similar characters of referenceindicated corresponding parts. in all the figures. Figure 1 is a sideview of one form of my improved snap-hook. Fig. 2 is a part longitudinalsectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 1, illustrating theoperation of the parts. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, 3 5representing a slightly-different form of my improvements; and Fig. 4 isa view similar to Fig. 3, partly broken away and vin section,representing more clearly the construction and operation of the parts ofthis latter form of the snap-hook.

Before proceeding with a more detailed description it may be stated thatin each of the forms of my improvements herein shown I employ asnap-hook comprising an ordinary shank and bill, and cooperating withthe end of the bill is a movable yoke which is normally maintained inclosed relation with said bill, thus preventing disengagement of the vspect to one end of the shank, as shown.

hook from any device to which the same may be attached for fastening orsimilar purposes. 5 I employ a specially-constructed thumb-plate orlever for operating the yoke to enable the application and release ofthe hook in the uses to which it may be applied, said lever securelyholding a part of the yoke in contact with the end of the bill, andwhile I have herein illustrated my improvements in certain preferredembodiments it will be understood, of course, that I amnot limited tothe precise details thereof in practice, since imma- 6o terial changestherein may be resorted to coming within the scope of my invention.

Specific reference being had to the drawings by the designatingcharacters thereon, 1 represents the shank of the snap-hook, and 2 thebill thereof, which is bent or curved with re- In the embodiment of myimprovements shown in Figs. 1 and .2 vI employ a yoke 3, havingduplicatecheek-pieces 4, which are a distance apart substantiallyequaling the Width of the shank 1 at the part thereof to which the yokeis attached, said yoke being closed at the top between the cheek-pieces,as shown at 4c, and said cheek-pieces being pivoted to the shank at 5,.it being. observed that for the purpose of symmetry the upper surface ofthe yoke is practically even with the corresponding surface portion ofthe bill 2, the inner edge portion 6 of said yoke normally overlappingthe end portion of the bill, asshown, and prefer.- ably abuttingagainst'a shoulder 7 on the upper part of said bill. At the outer upperpart of the yoke the said cheek-pieces 4L are connected by means of asmall rod 8, and preferably the edge of the closing portion 4 adjacentto said rod is bent downwardly at 9 for the purpose presently explained.Secured to the shank at 10, by means of a rivet or otherwise, is one endof a spring thumb-plate or 9 lever 11, which is bent inwardly at 12 nearits free end to form a shoulder, as shown, the said free end of thislever normally bearing beneath the end portion of the hill 2 withinanotch 13, formed in the latter. Normally the under side of the shoulder12 of the lever is directly above the said rod 8, connecting thecheek-pieces, and to operate this form of my improved snap-hook it issimply necessary to depress the said spring-lever to the positionindicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2, which act causes the shoulder 12 toride upon said rod 8 in a -manner to rock the yoke backwardly, therebybringing such yoke to open relation with the bill of the hook, as shown,and for a purpose well understood. On releasing the said lever the yokeis reversely operated, as is apparent, due to the resilient action ofthe lever, and in this way the yoke is again carried or rocked to closedrelation with the end of the bill. In the normal position of the partsthe yoke is prevented from accidentally rocking outwardly by means ofthe bent edge 9 thereof in this instance the cheek-pieces 1A of therocking yoke are pivoted at 16 to the upper ends 'of stationary brackets17, secured at 18 to opposite sides of the said shank 1. Also [inthi'sfinstance the spring-lever 19 is minus the shoulder 12, beingsimply struck on a slight uniform curve throughout its length, as shown,.the lower surface of the free portion of this lever working over therod 20, connecting the cheek-pieces, as in the first con- I structionexplained, the free end of the lever bearing beneath the free endportion of the bill 2 within a similar recess 22 therefor, also asbefore. To cause the yoke to be rocked to carry the same to openrelation with the bill, said lever 19 is simply depressed to theposition shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A snap-hook comprising a shank having a curvedbill, a pivoted yoke normally occupying a closed relation with the bill,and a spring-lever having one end secured to the shank and its free endextending into engagement with the bill of the shank, the leverintermediate of its ends loosely engaging the yoke.

2. A snap-hook constructed with a shank and a curved bill, a yoke havingcheek-pieces pivoted to the shank, and provided with a rod connectingsaid pieces near the outer edges thereof, and a spring-lever secured atone end to the shank and having a portion thereof passing over said rod,the free end of this lever normally abutting beneath the free endportion of the bill.

3. A snap-hook constructed with a shank and a curved bill, andcomprising a pivoted yoke closed by a top portion, and havingcheek-pieces pivoted to the shank, and also provided with a rodconnecting said pieces near the outer edges thereof; and a springleversecured at one end to the shank, and passing over said rod, and engagingbeneath the end of the bill, said top portion of the yoke being bentinwardly at the outer edge thereof, and said lever being bent to'form ashoulder.

4:. A snap-hook comprising a shank having a curved bill, a pivoted yoke,and a springlever having one end secured to the shankand its other endformed with a shoulder and extending into the yoke through an openingtherein.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL SMITH. Witnesses:

GEO. l/V. HANDEL, J. P. UMMEL.

